It's all about the Hydrangeas!

 Well summer is winding down, and I hate to
admit that! 

I strolled around the yard and snapped
a few pictures.  

This time of year around here it's all about
the hydrangeas! 

 These Limelights on the left were planted a year ago in the spring and the Endless Summer hydrangeas were planted at least 5 years ago.    I cut a bunch of these and gave them to my mother and daughter this past weekend. 

 The flowering has slowed down on the Endless Summer's and some of the flowers are turning color.

I'm real happy with this new one too called Vienna (Out of the Cityline series)

It's cheerful pink flowers are great and it's low growth habit makes it perfect on the corner like I have it planted.

I also planted a new one last year called Pinky Winky and it's coming along very nicely!  As each flower matures they will continue to grow larger and the pink that's at the bottom of the panicle will deepen with color.  I'm just tickled that it's doing so well and it keeps it's shape nicely too!

 Out front on my little island my 6 year old
Limelight hydrangea has developed really
well.  I can't get enough of how pretty they
are.  These a very reliable, and you can
trim them back or leave them alone, either
way they do great! None of mine get what
you would call all day sun, but these do get a
fair amount- probably 3 to 4 hours minimum.
The stand of woods by us is on the south side
so we are protected from the hottest part
of the sun.

My Russian Sage and Black Eyed Susans are about the last perennials blooming...however I am pleased that my delphinium is making a second showing! I think in a few days the flowers will be opening up!

This Rudbeckia-Hortensia or Golden Glow has been in my possession since I was in my late teens.  A neighbor gave me a clump and I've moved it to every place I've lived.  It can get as tall as 6 ft.  It always seems to get this powdery mildew about the same time it flowers.  It's always disappointing to see the mildew but for the most part the plant seems to handle it.

 I'll leave you with a few random shots of some annuals that are still hanging in there!

 Baby Tears...such a sweet plant...I'm definitely going to bring it in and keep it going through the winter!

My flying pig statue has all but disappeared behind these cosmos...I thought it would be cute with them circled around it, but they got much larger than I anticipated!  A few of these are 5 ft. tall now!

And finally my arbor- these morning glories and Sweet Autumn Clematis (neither of which has bloomed yet) have surrounded my little fairy and garden sign...

I'm still enjoying what's left of summer and I hope you are too!

I'm so sorry to see all the peril the East coast has been in after
Hurricane Irene left her mark last weekend.
I hate to admit how darn nice it's been here, but I guess that's how it goes.

I'm linking up with
Fishtail Cottage-Floral Thursdays
Rose Vignettes- Fresh-Cut Fridays

Stinky Supertunias

For a couple of weeks we couldn't figure out what this foul smell was that we could only detect when we were on our deck...my husband pointed to my plants on the deck, but I couldn't believe it...It reeked like something died or urine...yuck!!

While visiting my mother's home and where I had also planted the same Supertunia plant we noticed one evening- a very foul smell.... hmmm...Now the wheels are spinning...so when we came back home I removed these pots from the deck and the smell went away.  

I set them on the driveway down below the deck area- and today after the heavy rains we just had that bad smell was back- and right where they were on the driveway.  

So....as much as it pained me to do this, but I yanked out the entire plant from these pots.  Fortunately there were two other plants that I had put in there with them that were still growing but had been hidden by the supertunias...They don't look too bad and I imagine

in the next two weeks they will be showing off nicely!

I wanted to add that these smelled the worst when the whole plant got wet like after a rain or if my sprinkler got them wet.  So imagine coming out after a nice rain to smell the fresh air but instead you got that bad odor instead!  Not good!

 Supertunias called Pretty Much Picasso

 They grew like crazy- in fact they were even larger than this before I pulled the plants out and discarded them today.... 

Growing down in there is Calibroachoa (MiniFamous) 

also called (SuperBells or Million Bells) they look like tiny roses

and Sanvitalia (Sunbini)...little tiny yellow flowers.

Sorry Proven Winners, this one was not a winner in

my book...

 These were not good companions with the supertunias because they became overwhelmed by the them.  I hope to see these get going some more and get that last little burst out of summer!

I know fall is near, but I'm not ready!  I see mums showing up at the garden centers, but I'm not ready to give in!!  

Country Morning Breaksfast

We have some of the most beautiful summer weather here up in northern Michigan. I wish I could share how good the air smells here.  At this time of year the mornings are often dewy but it soon dries off and the temperatures reach a comfortable 65 to 70 by noon.  Our highest temperature lately has been around 82 with little humidity. Just perfect!

We sat down on this beautiful country morning and had a hearty breakfast before we took off for a Sunday drive in the country. 

These are my favorite dishes for breakfast.  They are called Daybreak by Pfaltzgraff.   I was looking for something with a rooster on it, and I was drawn to these because of their details like the floral banded edge and the soft green and yellow striping on the accent plates!
(I got these a year ago and they seem to be a retired pattern now with only a few pieces left)

This rooster pitcher is from the Napoli group by Pfaltzgraff.

I thought he was so cute I had to have it to go with these dishes.

I veered off the track and ordered these salt and pepper 

shakers from Pfaltgraff's Pistoulet group.  

I opted for these rather than the rooster salt and pepper 

shakers that matched the set- I thought

these were cute and cheerful!

They also offered glasses with the rooster etched on them 

so of course I had to have them! 

(They are presently on a good sale too!)

My everyday stainless flatware was used...it's by

Lenox/Kurt Stieff, called Monticello Thomas Jefferson. 

It's a design from the Thomas Jefferson foundation.  

(The way I remember the information I read when I selected these was that Thomas Jefferson commissioned things like silverware to be made to a design he specified and this was one of the patterns.)

I love the pistol grip handle, it's weighted nicely and fits comfortably in your hand with no pointy edges.

These chargers are from Pier 1 Imports

I  put together some flowers from my garden in this 

flower embossed bottle from Pottery Barn. 

I also included my faux potted sunflower from Pottery 

barn that I set on a candle holder since this was 

breakfast and we didn't need candlelight!

For our breakfast,

we had some mixed fruit served in the bowls, ham and cheese omelets, pancakes with local maple syrup, coffee and orange juice!

After breakfast we went for a country drive and saw fields of sunflowers,  and some fresh picked corn and cucumbers at the road stands.  It was a beautiful day especially after the rainy days we had just gone through and it was good to see the sun shining again!

I am linking up with 

Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch-Tabletop Thursday

Come and meeet Betty Lou!

When I saw this posting on Harverford House I had to share her recent posting. She created her own home made dress form- and I thought it was so adorable I'm featuring it on my blog and invite you to visit her!  She's a very creative person and I think this is an inspirational DIY project!

Click on the link and it will take you to her blog!

Haverford House

Garden Nook

I did a little tweaking in my garden nook by the water fountain.

 I recently acquired these large heavy planters that I think go much better with the fountain than anything I've found or tried yet.  They came pre-planted so they were ready to go! 

I also added a very small gazing globe that I had to the fountain basin...I like watching it float around when I sit out there...funny how something simple like that can be interesting!

A shot with the sun shining in...it always looks so pretty in the morning hours as the sun walks across the back and casts it rays on the garden!

I also brought back my second garden bench which I had moved to another spot.

 

This is the 3rd year for this new area we added to our patio.  I'm real pleased with the hostas and how well they've filled in and help outline the area so nicely. I made this up on the spot as I went along, there was no formal plan.  That seems to be how I do a lot of things!  Spontaneous!

 These are my attempts to catch this bumble bee enjoying the nectar from the flowers the hostas are producing.  I leave them up until they are ugly and then snip them off.  I've also been enjoying seeing the hummingbirds buzzing in and around these flowers too.  A lot of people cut them off and don't like them, but I feel this is a more friendly garden for the birds and bees! 

 The impatiens filled out a lot more on this side than the other. Even though they are shade lovers, apparently a little bit of sun does them good!  This area receives some late in the day sun for a brief period.

I really love this variety of Impatiens this year...they are called Mosaic Lilac...I like the different tones  and the color.  

These are  some Super Elfin/Blush Impatiens I put in a couple of planters with a spike in the top...they flank the opening of the courtyard area by the fountain

I save the descriptive tags that come with my annuals every year.  I refer back to them the next spring in case I want to go find that exact variety again.  There is some Hypoestes/white (Polka Dot Plant) in there too but the  impatiens took over and you can hardly see them.  I think they need more sun too so I won't mix them together again!

So that's my tweaking and conversatioin about my garden today!

How's your garden doing?